Wave-motor.



D. K. BRYSON.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Sept. 22, 191

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1). K. BRY SON. WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1913.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914..

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DAVID K. BRYSON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED v STATES WAVE POWER COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

WAVE-Moron.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept 22 1914 Application filed. July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,455.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID K. BRYsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful W'ave-iifotor; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to wave power appliances, and particularly to means of the class adapted to convert the vertical reciprocatory and swinging movements of a buoy into continuous rotary movements, but not restricted to such use as it may be used in any connection for which it may be adapted or appropriate.

The object of my invention is the provision in a motor of this character, of simple unitary means which is disposed intermediate a buoy and a reciprocally movable element for imparting continuous reciprocatory movements to said element from both swinging and rising and falling movements of the buoy, thus materially simplifying the construction of apparatus of this character and enhancing the practicabillty and commercial value thereof.

.The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred and one modified embodiment thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figures 1 and 2 are different elevations of one form of my apparatus, with parts in section and broken away. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line a, w in Fig. 1. Fig. l is a section of the pawl and ratchet portion of one of the bevel pinions on the driven shaft taken on the line y, y in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modified form of the apparatus, with parts broken away, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail of a portion of the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a platform or other suitable support, which is elevated above the water the Wave movements of which are to be converted into mechanical energy, and 2a power shaft, which axis with bevel pinions 7, 7 on the shaft 2.

The pinions 7 have pawl-and-ratchet connection with the shaft 2, as shown in Fig. 1, or have other suitable clutch connection therewith, to adapt one pinion to drive the shaft 2 when the gear 6 is driven in one direction and the other pinion to drive the shaft when the gear is driven in the opposite direction. Fixed coaxially to the outer side of the gear 6 is a pinion 8 with which a vertical. reciprccatory rack bar 9 meshes, whereby reverse rotation is alternately imparted to the gear 6 as the rack-bar is recip- "rocated. The rack-bar is held in mesh with the pinion 8 by a peripherally grooved roller 10 which is mounted on a stub shaft 11 proectin from the cross-piece at the opposite side of the rack-bar of the pinion 8.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and the rack-bar 9 is shown as projecting down through an opening 12 in the platform 1 and as connecting at its lower end to two laterally spaced bell-crank levers 13, which are fulcrumed to links 1a pivot-ally rising from a shaft 15 that is carried by the opposing sides 16, 16 of a crosshead. The sides 16 of the cross-head are rigidly spaced apart by the shaft 15 and in addition to this by a shaft 1? at the lower end of the head and by a pair of transversely opposed shafts 18 at the upper end of the head, and a similar shaft 18 in transversely. opposed relation to the shaft 15. It will, of course, be understood that this crosshead may be constructed in any other suitable manner, as desired. The shafts 15 and 18 carry guide-rolls 19 at their ends without the sides 16, 16 and in opposing contact with vertical guide ribs 20 that are carried by a ring-like member 21, which member is mounted for horizontal swivel or turning movements on the platform 1 with its opening in register with. the opening 12 of the platform. The member 21 is held to the platform 1 for free rotary movements relative thereto by guide parts The lower end portion of the rack-bar 9 works between a pair of opposing grooved guide-rolls 23 to prevent it from having transverse move ments relative to the cross-head. To enable the cross-head to turn relative to the rackbar, the lower end portion 9 of the rack-bar to which the levers 13 are connected is swiveled to the rack-bar. The levers 13 v have their horizontally projecting ends pivoted to the lower end of the rack-bar 9 at opposite sides thereof and pivoted between the downwardly projecting ends thereof is a link member 21 which is shown in Fig. 2 as being of the double arm type. The link 24 projects downwardly and laterally from the lever 13 between the lower portions of the cross-head sides 16, and is pivoted at its lower end, as at 25, to the upper laterally angled end of a pendulum-lever 26 which is pivotally hung from the shaft 17 and carries a buoy 27 at its lower end. The pendulum-lever 26 is made in two sections which are pivoted together, as at 28, with the pivot at right angles to the pivot 17 of the lever to permit the buoy to have free swinging movements transversely of the swinging movements of the lever on the pivot 17 should it be given a side swipe by a wave. A fin 29 projects from a side of the buoy 27 at right-angles to the pivot 17 to cause the buoy and compound lever mechanism to turn with the waves as the direction of movement thereof changes so that the pendulum will normally swing on the pivot 17. A coiled spring 30 connects the lower end portion of the upper section of the pendulumlever 26, in the present instance, to the clownwardly projecting end portions of the levers 13 to act as a shock absorber to steady the movement of the pendulum and to avoid the distributing of sudden shocks to the connection between the pendulum-lever 26 and rack-bar 9. The spring 30 also serves to return the buoy to normal pendent position relative to the cross-head after being swung from such position by the action of a wave thereon.

It is evident with this form of apparatus that both the rising and falling and the swinging or pendulous movements of the buoy 27 are communicated to the rack-bar 9 by the compound action of the connection between the lever 26 and rack-bar, as the connecting mechanism remains stationary relative to the lever and rack-bar when the buoy has a vertical movement and acts to impart reciprocatory movements to the rack bar 9 relative to the pendulum-lever when the latter is being swung.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, 35 designates a hollow standard which is open at one side for at least a portion of its length and projects upward through a registering opening in the platform 1, and is adapted to extend above the standard shaft 2, being guided in its vertical reciprocatory movements by opposing sets of guide-rolls 36, which are carried by the part 37 connecting the standards 3, 3. The lower end of the hollow standard 35 is swiveled to a yoke member 38, from the lower end of which is pivotally suspended a pendulum-lever 39 to which the buoy 4:0 is attached. The lever 39 is jointed, as at 4:1, to adapt the buoy to have swinging movements at right angles to the pivot 12 from which the pendulum lever is suspended. Pivoted to the upper end portion of the pendulumlever 39 slightly below. its fulcrum,'as at 43. is the lower end of a link 44 the upperend of which is pivoted to the short arm of a bell-crank type of lever 45 which is fulcrumed to a stud 46 projecting from one side of the yoke 38. The long arm of the lever 15 is pivotedto the lower end of a rack-bar 47, which extends upward therefrom through the standard 35 and has its teeth in mesh with a pinion 48 on the shaft 5 with the bevel-gear '6, which gear is in mesh at opposite sides of its axis with bevel clutch pinions 7, as hereinbefore described, whereby a continuous rotation isimparted to the shaft 2 in one direction from a reciprocatory movement of the rack-bar 17. 1 The rack-bar 47 is held in mesh with the pinion 18 by thrust rolls 19, which are carried within the standard 35 by one or more plates 50, which project into said standard through its open side from the shaft 5. A coiled spring 51 is interposed between the upper end portion of the pendulum-lever 39 and an arm 53 projecting from the yoke 38, and acts as a shock absorber for the lever. It is preferable to provide the rack-bar 47 at its lower end with a swivel part 47 to permit a turning of the yoke 34 and associated parts relative to the upper portion of the rack-bar, thus permitting the buoy and associated suspending parts to turn with the changing of the direction of movement of the waves so that the swinging power-generating movements of the buoy will always be in the direction of movement of the waves.

It is evident that I have provided two different mechanisms each of a unitary and simple nature for connecting a buoy to a reciprocatory member, whereby both the rising and falling movements of the buoy and the swinging movements thereof are utilized in imparting reciprocal movements to such member, and the multiple connection commonly employed between a buoy and a continuously driven shaft is obviated.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-. ters Patent, is,- i

.1. In combinationQa shaft, a rack-bar,

connection between said rack-bar and shaft rot iii)

for converting reciprocatory movements of one into rotary movements of the other, a pendulous buoy mounted for rotary, vertical and swinging movements, and swiveled connection between said buoy and rack-bar for permitting the buoy to turn relative to saidv bar and for imparting reciprocatory movements to said bar from the various movements of the buoy.

2. In combination, a shaft, a reciprocatory member, means for converting the reciprocatory movements of said member into rotary movements of the shaft, avertically movable swinging part, a buoy pivotally suspended from said part, and means connecting said part and member for moving the member with said part and buoy when the latter is vertically reciprocated and for imparting reciprocatory movements to said member relative to said buoy and part when the buoy is swun 3. In a wave motor, a rotatable part, a reciprocatory movable member having driving connection with said part, a vertically movable element, a buoy swingingly suspended from said element, and link and lever connection between said member and buoy and carried by said element for converting the swinging movements of the buoy into reciprocatory movements of said member and for causing the member to have rising and falling movements with the buoy.

4. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a rack-bar, connection between said bar and element for communicating rotary movements to one from reciprocatory movements of the other, a part capable of reciprocatory movements with and relative to said bar, a buoy swingingly suspended from said part and connection between said buoy and rackbar for causing said buoy, part and bar to have reciprocatory movements in unison and for converting the swinging movements of the buoy into reciprocatory movements of said bar, which movements are relative to the part.

5. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a reciprocatory member, means for converting the reciprocatory movements of said member into continuous movements of said,

element, a reciprocatory movable part, a pendulum lever carried by said part and having a buoy at its lower end, a second lever carried by said part and connected to said reciprocatory member, and connection between said levers for imparting reciprocatory movements to said member from swinging movements of the pendulum lever, said member, part and levers having reciprocatory movements in. unison upon a vertical movement of the lever buoy.

6. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a pivotally jointed pendulum lever having a buoy at its lower end, and mechanism carrying said lever for swinging movements and connecting the lever and element for imparting rotary movements to the element from swinging movements of the lever.

7. In a wave motor,a rotatable element, a pendulum lever having a buoy at its end and being pivotally jointed to permit its lower end to swing at variance to the swinging movements of the lever, and mechanism carrying the lever for vertical and swinging movements and operable to impart rotation to the element from the vertical and swinging movements of the lever.

8. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a vertically movable part, a pendulum lever pivoted to said part and having a buoy at its lower end, said lever being pivotally jointed to permit its lower portion to swing at variance with the swinging movements of the lever, and means connecting said lever and element and operable to impart continuous rotary movements to the element from vertical and swinging movements of said lever.

9. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a buoy mounted for vertical and swinging movements relative to said element, means for converting both the vertical and swinging movements of the buoy into rotary movements of said element, said buoy being swiveled to have horizontal turning movements, and having a part for coacting with waves to cause an automatic turning of the buoy as the direction of movement of the waves changes.

10. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a buoy mounted for vertical and swinging movements relative to said element, compound leverage means between said buoy and element for converting both the vertical and swinging movements of the buoy into rotary movements of said element, said buoy and means being swiveled to have horizontal turning movements, and means for causing the buoy and compound leverage means to automatically turn as the direction of movement of the waves changes.

11. In combination, a rotatable element, a vertically reciprocatory member, means guiding the movements of said member, a pendulous buoy carried by said member for vertical movements therewith and swinging movements relative thereto, and means carried by said member for communicating rotation to said element from both the swinging and vertical movements of said buoy, said means having the parts thereof longitudinally movable relative to said member.

12. In combination, a rotatable element, two members mounted for relative reciprocatory movements, means for converting the reciprocatory movements of one of said members into a continuous rotation of said element, a pendulous buoy carried by the other of said members, and connection between said buoy and both of said members operable to impart reciprocatory movements to one of said members from the-rising and falling and swinging movements of the buoy.

13. In combinatiom'a rotatable element, a reciprocatory member capable of'turning movements, a pendulous buoy carried by said member, and means connecting said buoy and element for communicating rotation: to said element from both rising and falling and swinging movements of said buoy when said member is in any position of its turning movements, said means having a part which is reciprocallymovable relative to said'me'mber.

14. In combination, a rotatable element, a member mounted for vertical reciprocatory and horizontal turning movements, a pendu lum suspended from said member and having a buoy at its lower end, and-means connecting said pendulum and element for communicating rotation to the latter from rising and falling and swinging movements of the pendulum, said means having a part connected to said member for relative reciprocatory movementsand'in leverage connection with said pendulum.

15. In combination, a rotatable element, a

vertically reciprocatory member, a pendulum swingingly suspended from said member and having a buoy at its lower end, and means connecting said pendulum and ele ment for communicating continuous rotation to the latter from rising and falling and swinging'movements of the pendulum, said pendulum being hingedly jointed to permit the lower end portion thereof to have swinging movements at an angle to the swinging movements of the pendulum as a whole without actuating said means.

16. In combination, a rotatable element, a

reciprocatory member, a pendulum swingingly carried by said member, means connecting said element and pendulum and having a part in leverage connectionwith both said member and pendulum for communicating rotation to the element from rising and members whenthe pendulum is swung on its pivot.

18. 'In a wave motor, arotatable element, a'vertically movable part, a pendulum'lever pivoted to saidpart and having a buoy at its lower end, said lever being pivotally ointed to permit its lower portion to swing at an angle to the swinging movements of the lever, and means connecting said lever and element and operable to impart continuous rotation to the element from vertical and swinging movements of saidlever, said part and lever being mounted forturning movements. I

19. In a wave motor, a rotatable element, a reciprocatory part, a bar guided for reciprocatory movementsby said part, means for communicating rotation to said element, from reciprocatory movements of said bar,

80 pended from said part, and means connecta buoy-carrying pendulum swingingly susfor vertical reciprocatory movements relative thereto and having turning movements therewith, a buoy-carrying pendulum pivotally suspended from said part, and means connecting said pendulum and element for communicating rotation to the element from both rising and falling and swinging move-' ments of the pendulum.

21. In combination, a rotatable element, a member mounted. for horizontal turning movements and forming a vertical guide, a part guided for vertical reciprocatory movements by said member and having turning movements therewith, a buoy carrying pendulum pivotally suspended from'said part, a bar projecting upward from said part for vertical movements relative thereto, means for imparting rotation in one direction to said element from vertical movements of said bar, a fulcrum link carried by said part, a lever fulc'rumedto said link and having one end connected to said bar, and means connecting the other end of said lever and said pendulum for imparting reciprocatory movements to said ba'r relative to said part when the pendulum is swung.

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID K. BRYSON. Witnesses:

MAX II. SRoLovrrz, NICHOLAS BoGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

